Living Will
by Hiccup The Demigod
Summary: Hiccup has just discovered that Johann is still alive despite being encased in ice. How will he deal with this startling discovery. Part three of my Seizure Procedure series. This story cannot stand alone. Warning! Blood and torture! Hiccup!Whump
1. Chapter 1

Previously on Seizure Procedure: Hiccup stared him down, daring him to do more. He hid his pain behind a face of steel and anger. He wasn't going to give this sick twist the pleasure of seeing him cry in pain and beg him to stop. Hiccup had endured worse.

Johann roared in anger. How dare this child pretend to be a man, denying him the pleasure of seeing him react to the pain!? He pulled out a knife and stabbed Dragon Master in the left arm. He ensured the blade went all the way through until it hit the ice.

Johann turned and yelled, "Such heroism. And for what? FOR WHAT!?" at Hiccup.

The older man grabbed Hiccup and tossed him across the ice. Hiccup slid until his back slammed into a spire jutting out of the ice. The Rider's vision doubled and he was seeing two Johanns stomp over to him.

Hiccup screwed his eyes shut and opened them again. There was now only one Johann and he was beyond livid. He was going to make sure Hiccup suffered. The Rider knew this.

Johann drew a knife from his sleeve and picked Hiccup up by the back of his head. He did a quick slash just above Hiccup's left knee.

"How well can you walk without a knee? More to the point, would you still be able to fly on your dragon?" Johann smiled threateningly.

The villain sliced through Hiccup's leather shoulder padding. Johann stood Hiccup up and slammed his left shoulder into his knee. Hiccup screamed as his collarbone broke into two. Johann grinned when he heard it snap.

Hiccup sat and waited. He listened to his body, looking out for any signs that might indicate a seizure. There wouldn't be much of a warning, but enough to brace himself. As if on cue his muscles tightened as if he had been struck by lightning. Hiccup lay down and shut his eyes while loosening the grip around his wound. He didn't need to break his arm in the process.

After two more days, Gothi deemed it safe to move Hiccup to his own bed. Stoick did the task of carrying his son home. He refused to let anyone help. Hiccup was his responsibility.

Stoick gently laid his son on to his bed and pulled the covers up to his waist. Toothless padded up the stairs and sat at the foot of the bed. The chief placed a reassuring hand on the Night Fury.

"He'll be okay, Toothless," Stoick promised. "He just needs to rest."

Tears were pouring out of Hiccup's eyes. "What made you think it was possible to control the King of Dragons? Didn't you even read the Dragon Eye? It clearly states that if you want the King to trust you, you had to be pure of heart. You had to be a friend to both dragon and man. You were neither. You were an evil, manipulative bastard, who had no problem killing people who got in your way."

Hiccup ceased his rant long enough to really stared at Johann. He moved to where he could study the villain's face better. He got within inches of the ice when Johann blinked.

* * *

Hiccup ran back to the arena where the reception was being held, Toothless hot on his trail. What he had just seen was impossible, right? Frozen men can't blink.

He hoped to the gods that he was hallucinating. He needed a second opinion and fast, but who to tell? Who would actually listen and not accuse him of going crazy? Dagur. Dagur knew crazy better than anyone.

He stopped running as he neared the dinner party. He had to appear calm. He had to get Dagur away from the party without raising an alarm. He entered the party and scanned over the guests, locating the Berserker chief. He found him talking with his new wife. They were laughing at the show the twins were putting on.

Hiccup made his way to the man. He pushed through the crowd of Vikings. When he finally got to Dagur he grabbed the man's shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Dagur we need to talk. It's urgent."

Dagur turned and looked at his brother. He could see that Hiccup was freaked out. The younger man was trying to hide it but failing.

The Berserker gave his wife a quick kiss. "I'll be right back, Schnookums."

* * *

Dagur followed Hiccup into the woods that lead toward the caves. "What's wrong, brother?"

Hiccup stopped walking and rubbed his forehead's temples. "I'm losing my mind. I've finally cracked and I need you to tell me I'm wrong."

A rambling Hiccup was never a good thing. Dagur had the misfortune of knowing what happens when Hiccup gets freaked out. He needed to keep Hiccup calm and lucid. Stress was something the Dragon Rider didn't need.

"Take on a deep breath, hold it and let it out," Dagur offered, demonstrating what he meant.

Hiccup took on three deep breaths. His body relaxed, but his eyes were still white with fear.

"What happened? What did you see?" Dagur asked.

Hiccup explained why going to the caves was a way to make peace with what had happened. He talked about yelling at Johann and seeing him blink. Twice.

"I feel stupid asking this, but can you just go back with me in there and see if he really is blinking, or if I've just lost my mind," Hiccup asked. His tone was almost childlike.

Dagur wanted to chide Hiccup for going on there alone, to begin with but didn't have the heart. "Sure. No problem."

As they continued on walking, Dagur silently hoped Hiccup was going a tad crazy, and that Johann really was dead underneath the ice. He also hated himself for hoping for such a thing. If Hiccup's mind really was cracked there was no telling what else he could be seeing or hearing.

* * *

Dagur leaned in and studied the frozen man. Hiccup stood behind him clutching half of his former sword. He kept his distance but was close enough to see if he really was blinking.

The Berserker chief nearly jumped back when Johann blinked. Sweet Freya, Hiccup wasn't going crazy. The madman was still alive.

"Please tell me you saw that?" Hiccup practically begged.

Dagur had to make a split second decision. If he told Hiccup, that Johann was still alive, he would go back to being scared and angry. Everything he had worked so hard on for the past few months would come crashing down. Hiccup needed to think Johann was dead in order to move on.

"I didn't see anything," Dagur lied. "It must be your imagination."

Hiccup stared at the man. He was still to count of ten then he screamed. "You're lying! You moved when he blinked!"

Before Dagur had a chance to defend himself, Hiccup had run him through with Inferno and sent him over the edge.

Dagur the Deranged was dead.

* * *

Author's Note: So the time between Hiccup being tortured and the wedding is about five months in my timeline. So that's plenty of time for Hiccup to be recovered enough to be tortured some more. That is if you want Hiccup to bleed to more. I could also have him face his fears and kick Johann's ass. Where the final face-off will take place is up to you.

Your Choices Are:

Berk

Berserker Island

Dragon's Edge

Middle of the ocean

I plan on having the story span about six months. In that time Hiccup will have his new leg. They will leave Dragon's Edge with plans to go back. Dragon Races.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing beta reader


	2. Chapter 2

Hiccup opened his eyes only to find a set of big green ones looking at him. He was lying in a bed, but it wasn't his bed. The weight of his prosthetic was absent. That meant someone had removed it as a precaution. His entire body thrummed with pain.

The pain wasn't so bad that he couldn't sit up. He pushed himself up until his back was against the headboard.

 _What happened?_ Hiccup thought. The last thing he remembered was leaving Toothless outside the cave. No, wait it was coming back now. He was yelling at a frozen Johann when all of a sudden he was on the ground.

What had happened? Did he have a seizure? No, he couldn't have. He'd taken his tonic just before the wedding. The wedding! Oh, gods. What did he do!?

He had killed Dagur.

Before Hiccup had a chance to mourn what he had done to his friend, the man himself walked in.

Dagur was wearing his usual attire of a sleeveless tunic with his armor covering it up. "Brother! You're awake. How are you feeling?"

Hiccup had to be dreaming. He clearly remembered running Dagur through and tossing him over the edge. Could that have been the dream? Had he dreamed about killing Dagur?

"Um," was all Hiccup could say. His brain was still trying to process all this information at once.

"Don't worry about talking," Dagur suggested. "You're probably still tired. I've sent the rest of the Rider's home and told them once you were better, you'd head home as well."

Hiccup managed to find his voice. "I'm a little sore. What happened?"

"No one knew where you went, so we went searching. Mala and I found Toothless running through the woods roaring like crazy," Dagur explained. "Mala calmed him down and he led us to the caves. I went in and found you on the ground lying next to Johann. Magnus checked you over and could find no sign of injury and suggested you might have had a seizure."

Hiccup played dumb. "A what? Seizure? What's that?"

Dagur sat down in a chair on the other side of the room. "Don't act like you don't know. You had one during the Battle. You've had them for a few years. I'm guessing since the Red Death."

Hiccup eyes widened in fear. "Did Astrid-"

Dagur shook his head and cut him off. "I figured it out long before she did. It was just before you imprisoned me on Outcast Island."

"Why didn't you use it against me?" was all Hiccup wanted to know.

"It's how my mother died. I wasn't going to put you through that," Dagur answered with a frown. His frown disappeared and was replaced with a smile. "Anyways, let's have Magnus check you over so you can head on home."

Hiccup felt fine. He didn't need to have a healer, who didn't know him, examine him. For all he knew, this Magnus fellow had a staff he likes to hit people with.

"I'm fine. I know what to look out for," Hiccup stated as he moved to get up. Dagur was quick on his feet and pushed Hiccup back down.

"You're not going anywhere. Besides how far do you think you'll get with one leg?" Dagur dared. "House rules. You are going to rest and wait for the all clear. I don't want you to get halfway home and something happened because you missed something. Don't worry, Magnus knows what he's doing. He trained under Gothi for 20 years."

"Oh great," Hiccup muttered. "Is he going to hit me in the head with a staff if I don't agree or say something wrong?"

Dagur pondered the question for a moment before answering. "Depends on how mad you make him. He's not supposed to hit visitors, but that hasn't stopped him."

 _Oh fantastic_ , Hiccup thought.

After losing his leg, Gothi made sure he would come to her once a week to make sure everything was okay. He learned by the fourth visit to watch what he said, otherwise he would end up a lump on the top of his head. If this man trained under Gothi, he was better off keeping his mouth shut.

While Hiccup and Dagur waited. Hiccup went down his post-seizure checklist. He could still feel all his fingers and toes. His muscles weren't tense anymore. He wasn't tired, but he was sore. Must've have been a bad one. Usually, the pain would fade right away after waking up. He had a bit of a headache, probably from his head hitting the ice.

He'd be able to make it home and take his medicine without risking another one. A visit to Gothi's hut might be in order.

Dagur broke the uncomfortable silence. "What were you doing down there anyway?"

"I was trying to come to terms with what happened," Hiccup admitted. "Gothi thought it might be a good idea to help me move forward."

"Did it help?" Dagur wondered.

"At first," Hiccup shrugged. "I got up close to his face, as is if to say 'I'm not afraid of you.' That's when I saw him blink."

Dagur shot to his feet in alarm. "Why didn't you say that before!?"

"Why does it matter?" Hiccup retorted. "Seeing him blink was a hallucination caused by having a seizure."

Dagur started pacing. The deranged chief was clearly freaking out.

"Dagur, why are you freaking out over a hallucination?" Hiccup asked. He was starting to freak out himself. "It was just a hallucination, right?"

Dagur fervently shook his head. "About a week ago, some kids snuck past the guards and went into the caves. They wanted to see 'the frozen man'. One of them nearly fell into the cavern when he saw, what he claimed he saw, Johann blinking. His friends saved him and brought him to me."

Hiccup fell silent. No words could describe how he was feeling. His enemy was still alive. If he was alive and his followers found out, they would come and rescue him. Once his ice prison thawed, he would come after Hiccup, knowing that he wouldn't be able to deal with him.

They had to make sure he remained frozen. Dagur would have to have guards surrounding him 24/7, waiting for the day he stopped blinking.

The Rider watched as Dagur left the room. He heard a far-off door slam shut followed by a ton of shouting. Hiccup couldn't make out what was said, but he got the gist of it. Dagur had been thinking the same thing.

When Dagur came back, he planted his butt firmly in the seat, crossed his arms and stared worriedly at the younger man.

* * *

After waiting two hours, Magnus showed up. He was a small man. Slightly taller than Gothi. His eyes were unfocused. They looked everywhere but at Hiccup or Dagur. The man didn't have a staff with him. Hiccup doubted that would stop him from smacking him.

"What took you so long, Magnus?" Dagur demanded, clearly peeved at the man's tardiness, but not surprised.

"I was having a drink in the Hall of Heroes," Magnus answered. "Or ten."

That explained the unfocused eyes. Magnus was also the village drunk. No way in Thor's name was Hiccup going to have this man check him over.

"Dagur," Hiccup spoke up. "I really feel fine."

"Shut up boy," Magnus ordered, raising a fist. "I'm the only chance you have of getting off this rock."

Dagur stepped between the two. "Magnus, if you even think about hurting Hiccup, I will exile you to Outcast Island, or better yet, make you sail to the end of the Earth".

Magnus curled his lips inward and lowered his fist. Dagur clearly put the fear of the gods in him.

* * *

Johann stared at the abyss before him. It was all he had done for the however long it had been. Hiccup showing up had been a treat. Hearing the scrawny boy admit he was afraid of him overfilled him with joy. And watching him shake on the ground out of the corner of his eyesight as he had done so long ago was even more pleasurable. That boy clearly had an impairment of some sort.

Once he was freed, he would figure it out. It was just a matter of time before his men finally came and rescued him. Word will have surely spread to the whole island by now, and hopefully farther.

* * *

Magnus spent a good three hours poking and prodding Hiccup wherever he could. Hiccup watched as the little man took pleasure in making him jump and squirm.

Toothless growled whenever Hiccup winced or moved away from the man.

This man was not a healer. He was a flipping psychopath.

"I give you a clean bill of health boy," Magnus finally stated.

"Good," Hiccup said bitterly. "Can I have my leg back now?"

Dagur left the room and walked back in a minute later holding the fake leg. "Here."

The married man tossed it to the younger man, who caught it with ease.

Hiccup sat up and clicked his leg into place before standing. He tested the balance, making sure it was on right. Once he was positive it wasn't going to come off, he motioned for Toothless to get ready to follow him.

"See Gothi as soon as you get to Berk," Magnus said, wagging a finger at the boy. "Tell here you need a tonic to treat a fit. She'll understand."

Hiccup paid the small man very little attention. He was already planning on doing what he was saying.

Toothless snorted in the healer's face and set the tips of his hair on fire. Magnus didn't realize he was burning.

Dagur threw his arm over Hiccup's shoulder and began to lead him out. "Let's walk and talk for a minute."

Once they were far enough away from what Hiccup assumed was Dagur's house, Dagur stopped walking and looked around, making sure no one could hear him.

"Hiccup, I can't let you come back here. It's not safe," Dagur said in a harsh whisper.

Hearing Dagur say that, hurt, but Hiccup figured he had a good reason. "Why?"

"There's something not right here. Things keep happening. Sabotagey things," Dagur continued to whisper. "Until I find out what, I don't want anyone from Berk coming here unless I say so. I'll make sure you know it's me when I send word. Something only I know."

Hiccup nodded in understanding. Dagur had a traitor in his village and had to find out who that was.

Hiccup climbed on to Toothless. "Be safe Dagur, and keep us updated."

With that said, Hiccup and Toothless flew off into the night and headed toward Berk.

* * *

Author's Note: See Dagur is alive. I would never kill him. I don't have it in me too. But Hiccup and Johann. I have no problem killing either of them. Which one dies and which one lives.

Leave and review and follow to find out.

Quick question. Does anyone draw fanart? I want a picture of Hiccup covered in his own blood being tortured by Johann or one of his men. His prosthetic should be missing from the picture. I want to use it as a cover image. If you do let me know. I will give you all the credit.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing beta reader and friend


	3. Chapter 3

Hiccup and Toothless landed outside Gothi's hut. The woman herself was still outside getting ready for tomorrow's sick and injured Vikings. She looked over at Hiccup as he began to dismount and motioned for him to follow her inside.

Hiccup signaled for Toothless to stay and followed her inside. Hiccup was one of the very few to get treated inside her hut. He had an ailment that was better off being treated in private than in view of the public.

Even though all of Berk seemed to be asleep, you never knew who might be out enjoying the peace and quiet.

Hiccup sat on the guest bed and explained to Gothi what had happened down in the caves and how Magnus treated him.

She shook her head at the sound of Magnus's name. It was clear she didn't like him either. How she put up with him for 20 years was beyond Hiccup.

Gothi set about, examining Hiccup, but was being quicker and gentler than Magnus had been. If that man knew anything about seizures, he would have known to tread carefully in the aftermath. The person who had one might have been injured in the process.

Hiccup would take Gothi over Magnus any day. Hel, he'd take Snotlout over Magnus.

The Village Elder quickly determined that Hiccup wasn't going to have another seizure as long as he took his tonic when he got home and took it easy for the next few days.

The young man hated "taking it easy", but after a seizure, he didn't mess around with his health. He hated having them. They were a nuisance in his life. They made him put whatever he was doing on pause, to deal with it and recover. The more he had them, the greater the risk there was of people finding out.

Gothi said he would most likely outgrow them, but that could take years. He could be her age and still have them. There was no real way of determining if he did, aside from starting to have a bad reaction to the tonic.

Hiccup thanked the elderly woman and went home for some much-needed rest.

* * *

As Hiccup slept, he dreamt of Johann being set free. He dreamt of the man coming after him, torturing him. Not letting him die.

The Rider was reduced to nothingness. No one would save him because of how broken he had become. His family and friends abandoned him.

Little did he know was how true his nightmares were about to become.

* * *

After the last villager was asleep, Magnus walked down to the docks with a single lantern. He waved it in the air, signaling for the boat hiding behind the sea stacks to come out.

Within minutes a small boat was docked and it six passengers had climbed out. Each of them carried supplies to break the ice that encased their leader.

"I'll lead you to the caves. I already have a fire going. Once you are in the caves work quickly and leave. You need to be out of here by sun-up," Magnus said. "Have one of your men hide the boat on the other side of the island".

* * *

Four of Johann's men chiseled away at the ice, while the other made the fire hotter. They only had a few hours before the sun began to rise. They had only freed one arm and leg.

Johann's shouts for them to work faster were muffled by the ice. He was swinging his arm like crazy as if he was trying to hit them.

Hours later, enough ice had been chiseled away for Johann to break free himself. The man swayed for a moment before falling backward, unconscious.

Two of the men picked him up and carried him out of the caves.

* * *

Hiccup walked through the village with Toothless right next to him. Above them, Astrid was doing some training with the A-Team. He could hear his father yelling at someone down at the docks. He could see Fishlegs with his niece and nephews up by the Great Hall teaching them about the history of Berk. The twins could be heard blasting away in the woods. He watched as Snotlout got ready to go on patrol.

All was right in the world. It was just a normal day on Berk. They would be leaving in a couple of days to finish packing up Dragon's Edge and lock it down. The plan was to leave it standing in case they had to travel long distances and they could stop there for rest. Any Berkian traveling could use it.

The Rider's mind wandered back to the previous night. Dagur had warned him that there was a traitor on Berserker Island. Hiccup immediately thought of Magnus. That man was bad news all around. If Gothi didn't like him, that wasn't a good sign. Gothi got along with all the healers she's met or trained.

That old bag of bones could pick out the bad apple before it even turned into one. Hiccup had learned during his months of recovery that Gothi had had a bad feeling about Johann when he first became their tradesman but ignored it because he had been so sweet in giving her rare herbs, worth more than anything she could trade for, for free. How could a man so kind, be so evil?

Johann. That man was still alive. How he was alive was beyond Hiccup's understanding. Was there some kind of power within the King of Dragon's ice blast that preserved life? Was it sheer luck he had survived? Will of the gods?

Maybe Hiccup wasn't meant to know. All he knew was when the next meeting was called he would have to tell everyone. A plan would have to be made in case he was freed. They would have to figure out if it would be a capture or kill mission.

Personally, Hiccup opted for a kill mission. If Johann was allowed to live and put in prison he could escape whenever he wanted to. He still has vast connections in the Archipelago. He could be locked up and still be free to torture dragons and people alike.

Hiccup knew the first thing the man would do if freed would be to come after him. Johann had a job to finish.

* * *

Several healers set to work on treating Johann. After being frozen for five months, Johann was vulnerable to hypothermia, eel pox, boar flu, and several other ailments that could turn life-threatening.

"How long has he been like this?" A healer demanded as he forced a tonic down Johann's throat.

"He's been unconscious since we freed him. He started shaking about an hour ago. His body temperature shot through the roof not long after," the lead Hunter answered.

"We did our best to warm him up. Got some hot broth into him."

"We have to regulate his core temperature," the healer stated. "Jorn, herbal broth. Baghook, we need all the fur blankets you can find. Halstein, fire. Once he's warmed up, we can start treating him."

Several hours later, Johann regained consciousness long enough to put a price on Hiccup's head. He wanted that Dragon lover brought to him alive. He wanted to the pleasure of killing that menace himself.

The Hunters set to work making posters and offering 100,000 gold pieces for his capture.

* * *

Hiccup and Stoick shared identical headaches. Both had two blocks of ice on their heads. The Council and Riders nearly caused a civil war. Snotlout, Spitelout, Sven, the Twins, and Herleif wanted to go destroy the cave, crushing Johann's frozen form. Then go after the Hunters and kill every last one.

Fishlegs, Astrid, Gobber, and Leif wanted to leave Johann right where he was. He would eventually die. Leaving him alone was the best option.

It was when the axes were brought out that Stoick put an end to the meeting.

"What was your plan going to be anyways, son?" Stoick asked.

Hiccup shrugged. "Kill him if he is somehow freed. If he's allowed to live, he can still hurt dragons and people. Locking him up doesn't stop anything."

Stoick stared at his boy. The boy who always sought out the peaceful solution. The boy who has turned almost all his enemies into friends and allies. It was still quite clear that Hiccup feared the man, but it wasn't revenge that was driving him. It was the need for peace. His son truly believed that killing Johann would bring peace. Not just for himself, or Berk, but the whole Archipelago and beyond.

"Okay," Stoick agreed. "If he is ever freed, he won't be for very long."

It was Hiccup's turn to stare. His father wasn't even going to question him.

"You're agreeing to kill him?" Hiccup asked.

"If you firmly believe that his death will bring peace, then yes, I agree with you," Stoick answered.

Hiccup felt happy that his father agreed to the death of the man, but at the same time was determined not to fail.

* * *

Author's Note: Enjoying the story so far? I should hope so. Let me know what you think in the reviews and don't forget to favorite and review.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an awesome beta reader. She has and will continue to be amazing. Without her, I wouldn't have continued the story.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note. Welp, I'm down to one arm. I fell at work and dislocated my shoulder. The doctor popped it back in and has my arm immobilized in a sling. Which I will be wearing for a week. Don't worry. It's not going to stop the pace of the story. I'm already working on chapter 7.

* * *

"JOHANN IS FREE!" Echoed through all of Berserker Island. "THE ICE HAS BEEN MELTED! JOHANN IS FREE!"

Pandemonium struck the island as all the villagers ran toward the caves to see if it was true. Dagur and Heather ran ahead of the crowd while Mala and Sleuther tried to get the crowd under control.

The two siblings ran through the maze of tunnels until they came to the main cavern. They both came to a halt when they saw that Johann was in fact gone. The only proof that he had been there were chunks of ice everywhere.

"How did this happen?" Heather questioned. "Did the traitor help?"

"Most likely," Dagur replied. "I need to head to Berk and inform Hiccup. Tell the tribe that the claim is true. Have them prepare for war. Berk is going to need all the help they can get."

* * *

Dagur landed on Berk just after nightfall right outside Stoick and Hiccup's house. He could see a fire crackling through the crack between the door and its frame. Inside he could hear Hiccup and Stoick talking. Their voices were too muffled for him to understand, but it sounded serious.

He thought about taking off and dealing with Johann himself. Hiccup would never have to deal with him again. The younger man could live a life of peace and never have to look over his shoulder all the time.

The deranged chief shook his head. No. Hiccup deserved to know. Hiccup needed to know. It was his right.

Dagur dismounted Sleuther and walked toward the door. He felt like he was back on Vanahiem. Scared to knock on the door, fearing what he might find.

He steeled his nerves and knocked. He forced himself not to run away. This has to be done. This was a matter of life and death.

"I'll get it," he heard from inside. It was Hiccup. Hiccup was going to answer the door. He was hoping for Stoick. That way he would have a few more seconds to prepare himself.

The door opened revealing the Pride of Berk. "Dagur? What are you doing here? Is something wro-"

Hiccup couldn't finish his question; Dagur's face gave it all away. The fear, rage, and sadness.

"He's escaped," was all Dagur could say.

Hiccup backed away. Fear was evident in the young man's eyes. He had his hand over his chest as his breathing and heart rate sped up. Dagur watched as Stoick leaped into action.

Stoick was quick to get Hiccup on to his hands and knees and have him bury his head, eyes closed. Dagur moved to try and help. Both Stoick and Toothless have him a look to stay right where he was. They didn't look angry, but he could feel their anger seeping through.

It was his fault, but it would have happened no matter who delivered the news. They were angry at him, but not at him.

Dagur stood in the doorway for a good ten minutes watching Stoick try and calm Hiccup down. The vast man spoke softly and quietly. Her reassured Hiccup that he was safe and anything he was seeing wasn't there. He was home. He was safe. He wasn't hurt.

For a while, it looked like it was working, until Hiccup lost his balance and fell on to his side. His eyes were shut. He had driven the man into unconsciousness.

Stoick gingerly picked up Hiccup and carried him upstairs. Toothless followed the family. Dagur couldn't see up there. No candles were lit.

After a couple of minutes, Stoick came back down alone. Toothless was going to watch over Hiccup.

"Well just don't stand there," Stoick stated. "Come in and close the door before you let all the cold air in."

Dagur did as he was told. "Will he be all right?"

Stoick nodded. "Aye, he'll just sleep for a bit. Those panic attacks can take a lot out of him."

Dagur felt guilty. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to cause him to have a panic attack."

Stoick shook his head. "Don't be. It was going to happen." The Berkian chief sat down and gestured for Dagur to sit. "Let's talk. How did Johann escape?"

Dagur sat down. He felt like had just broken his mom's favorite ornate axe, again. He was in trouble and he knew it.

"I think his men came under the cover of darkness and thawed him out," Dagur answered. "The traitor must have helped them get past the guards. Heather and Mala are going to figure that out."

"So you know who this traitor is?" Stoick asked.

"I have my suspicions," Dagur replied, feeling his body start to relax a bit. Stoick wasn't going to kill him. "I can't confirm or deny anyone yet. I've barely begun my investigation."

Stoick said nothing. The two chiefs sat in silence. The only sounds in the house were the crackle of the fire and light snoring from upstairs.

* * *

Two days later on Dragon's Edge:

Hiccup, Astrid, and Dagur flew around the base, refortifying its defenses. With Johann still out there, Dragon's Edge remained opened. They couldn't leave yet. Not until Johann was gone.

It was the best place for the Riders to get their work done. The hustle and bustle of Berk would not disturb them.

Dagur had been adamant about joining them. Hiccup would need all the protection he could get. It was just a matter of time before Johann put a price on his head, and Hunters, dragon and bounty alike, would come looking for him.

Dragon's Edge was also safer. It has more firepower and kept the Hooligan tribe out of danger.

* * *

Johann stood in the doorway of his office with a blanket wrapped tightly around him. His office has been left untouched. There was dust covering everything.

He coughed. He shouldn't be out of his bed, but he couldn't lie around. If Hiccup was caught, he needed to be on his feet or at least sitting at his desk. He couldn't decapitate his enemy from a bed.

The traitor smiled. No, he was going to torture him first. He was going to make Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third beg for his meaningless life.

"Sir, you should be in bed," an assigned healer said to him.

"I'm fine, Jorn," Johann sneered. "Any word on Hiccup's bounty?"

Jorn shook his head. "Not yet, Johann. Just give it some time." Jorn placed a hand on his leader's shoulder. "For now, let's get you back to bed. You need to be at full strength when Hiccup is brought in."

* * *

Dagur took the first patrol. He flew ten miles out to sea and watched the waters. Once he finished one loop around the island, he would fly one mile in and do it again after each loop. He would do that until the sun rose and it was Astrid's turn for patrol.

Dagur was four miles away from the island when he saw a fishing boat heading inland. What was a fishing boat doing out in the middle of nowhere at this hour?

"Let's see what business this man has going on, aye, Sleuther?" Dagur suggested as he patted his dragon's head.

Sleuther roared in agreement and dove down to meet the newcomer. The Triple Stryke fired a warning shot at the boat. The person calmly looked up and waved. It was Throk.

Dagur quickly landed on the boat. It has to be urgent if Throk was sailing to Dragon's Edge. "What's wrong Throk? Is it Mala? Or Heather?"

"My Liege, Johann has already taken to the first step at drawing Hiccup Haddock out," Throk informed as he handed a piece of paper over to Dagur. "A bounty for 100,000 gold pieces. Soon bounty hunters from all over will come here or go to Berk. We must move him now."

Dagur stared at the poster. He remembered the last time a bounty had been placed on Hiccup's head. He was undercover in the Northern Markets and remembered seeing all the posters with his face plastered all over them. The bounty didn't last more than a couple weeks. It had ended in failure as far as Dagur could tell.

Johann was more powerful than Viggo, though. Nothing would make him stop his hunt. He wanted Hiccup and he wasn't going to stop until he had him.

"Hop on," Dagur offered. "We'll take you the rest of the way."

Throk took his new King's hand and climbed on to Sleuther. Together they flew toward the outpost.

* * *

Author's Note: Things are starting to heat up. Don't forget to review and follow.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing formed and beta reader. I would be lost without her


	5. Chapter 5

A month had passed since Johann had put a bounty on Hiccup's head. Hiccup refused to leave the Edge. He felt he was safer there than on an island he knew nothing about. No one left Hiccup alone. Someone was always with him. Toothless decided that Hiccup was safer at night wrapped up in his wings.

That didn't stop the team from taking turns watching them at night. Hiccup had grown tired of being constantly watched. He felt like a prisoner. Only Dagur seemed to get this and gave Hiccup his space during his shifts. Instead of staying in Hiccup's hut at night, he and Sleuther perched themselves on the roof.

During the twins' shifts, they took it seriously and didn't screw around. Now was not the time for jokes. War was coming and everyone could feel it.

One night, Hiccup decided to break away from his night watchman and go for a late night fight.

Hiccup hooked his new leg into Toothless's new stirrup. His fake leg had three feet. One for walking, the second for flying, and the last for walking on ice. Once up in the air, Hiccup began to visibly relax. The tension in his shoulders melted away. No one was watching him.

"You know, bud," Hiccup sighed as he leaned back and laid on Toothless. "This is best I've felt in over a month. Just me and you, with no one around checking every cloud and sea stack before we fly near it. I'll admit living with a bounty looming over me is hard, but the longer I stay out of his hands, the better the chance of drawing him out."

The two flew for a bit longer, Hiccup never leaving the saddle to try new tricks. "I'm terrified, Toothless," Hiccup revealed. "I'm terrified of what Johann will do once he gets his hands on me. How far will he go to see me suffer again? I'm not ready for it. I've already suffered once at the hands of that lunatic. I don't want to again."

Toothless crooned at his hatchling and glanced at him with worry. The Night Fury knew he would never admit this to anyone else. Hiccup wasn't ready to face the man who tortured him to the point of coma. Hiccup would probably never be ready. He was a broken man who could barely face his own friends.

The two landed outside their shared hut. Hiccup flung his door open and was greeted with a punch in the jaw. Hiccup stumbled backward before falling to his knees. He put his hands over his side jaw and screwed his eyes shut.

"Hiccup, Hiccup, Hiccup," a familiar voice taunted. "You should have known better than to leave your protection at all."

That voice. Hiccup knew that voice. It belonged to a dead man. It belonged to Ryker.

"What did you do to Snotlout?!" Hiccup demanded. He should have been more surprised that Ryker was still alive but after Alvin, Dagur, Viggo, and Johann, he really wasn't. People in his life have a tendency to not die.

Ryker stood Hiccup up. "Don't worry. He's still sleeping. You and I need to have a talk."

Hiccup stared at him. "What do we have to talk about?"

"Johann. He's tired of waiting for you to be captured. He wants his revenge and nothing is going to stand in his way," Ryker answered. "He's getting ready to move in on your little Dragon base. He plans to launch a full-scale attack within five days. Be ready."

"Why should I trust you?" Hiccup wondered.

"Because I'm the only thing stopping those damned bounty hunters from ever reaching this island," Ryker replied, pointing at himself. "Why do you think there haven't been any enemies spotted since the bounty was sent out?"

Hiccup pondered this. When the first bounty came out, hunters were on top of him right away. Now it seemed like they were taking their time.

Just then a watery roar came from the beach below.

"I'll be right there, Minnow," Ryker called down.

Hiccup did a double take. Ryker had a dragon. Not just any dragon. A Scauldron. "How?"

Ryker smiled. "Minnow saved me from drowning. He carried me to an island where the inhabitants treated me. He watched from the water to make sure I was alright. I took what I learned from watching you and your team and put it to use. Once I learned that the world thought of Ryker Grimborn as dead, I remained that way until I saw the wanted posters."

"Why are you protecting me?" Hiccup asked.

"You are the only thing standing between Johann and his rule. If Johann succeeds in killing you, that's it for dragon kind. It will be the end of the world," Ryker answered. "Nothing will stop him. Once you stop him, with my help, Minnow and I will disappear. You'll never hear from us again."

"How can you help?" Hiccup wanted to know.

"I have a man on the inside. Jorn," Ryker said. "He's a healer that's been treating Johann for hypothermia, muscle weakness, migraines and a series of other ailments from being trapped in the ice. Despite all this, Johann is getting stronger every day. He's determined to have you under his foot."

Hiccup stood still. He thought for a moment. The Edge was far from ready for an attack. The islands dragons were far from trained. The rest of the supplies they needed hadn't arrived yet. It was still two weeks away. He had to go to Johann and meet him head-on.

"If you were to show up with me, would they believe you were still a Dragon Hunter?" Hiccup wondered.

"Probably. They all think I'm dead," Ryker said, seeing what Hiccup was getting at. "I could 'claim' the prize and come back here, and get the Riders to follow. Shouldn't take more than a few days. Not enough time for Johann to do any damage."

Hiccup gulped. He was putting his life in the hands of a man who tried to kill him multiple times. But Viggo had changed, so why can't Ryker? He had to trust that Ryker was going to come back and tell the Riders. He should leave a note just to be sure. Toothless would also have to stay behind.

"So, whatever we do, we have to ensure that they don't come looking for you right away," Ryker said as if reading his mind.

An hour later, Hiccup was ready to leave with Ryker. He had left a detailed letter about his conversation with the man. He talked of his plan to face Johann alone. He left that letter with Snotlout. He wrote a separate letter for Astrid telling her that he was, in fact, scared, but this seemed to be the only way. The one chance they had at stopping Johann before he got too strong.

Hiccup knelt down to where Toothless was laying. "I'll be back, bud. I don't know what state I'll be in, but I will return. Look after Astrid for me. She's going to need all the support she can get. Make sure she understands that I'm not doing this for revenge. I'm doing this to save our future."

Hiccup placed his forehead on Toothless's. The dragon crooned quietly, begging Hiccup to stay.

"I've got to go, bud," Hiccup said as he stood up. His heart and stomach wrenched with fear and guilt, but this needed to be done. Johann could not regain any more strength.

"Time to go," Ryker said from outside.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews. Don't worry action and feels are on the way. What is Johann going to do with Hiccup once he had him? Is Ryker really a good guy? Stay tuned to find out.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being the best beta reader ever.


	6. Chapter 6

Johann stood on the deck of his ship. He stared into the ocean surrounding him. They were headed for Dragon's Edge. Where Hiccup Haddock was hiding out. They would draw him out of hiding, capture him, extract all the information they could squeeze out of that massive brain, and then kill him the most painful way possible.

Johann laughed to himself about all the things he was going to do to that _hiccup_ who dared to call himself a man.

"Sir, there is a small ship approaching from the south. It is carrying two passengers. One appears to be the Haddock boy," a Hunter called down from the crow's nest.

"Let them approach. Arrows and catapults ready!" Johann ordered.

* * *

Ryker finished tying Hiccup up. He had bound his arms to his side, making it so it looked like he trying to prevent the other man from trying to escape. He was getting ready to gag Hiccup as they went over the plan once more.

"Remember, Johann has to think he's won," Ryker stated. "As soon as the handoff is complete, I'll sail back to Minnow and head straight for Dragon's Edge. Stay strong and don't give in. That is your mantra. Your team and I will fly into 'rescue' you. Once on that Night Fury, kill Johann. No hesitation, no fear. One shot and it's over."

"Got it," Hiccup nodded.

Ryker tied the gag over Hiccup's mouth, making it tight enough to press into the bruise on the young man's cheek. Ryker than pushed Hiccup down to his knees. He unsheathed his sword and aimed it at Hiccup.

Hiccup watched as they approached Johann's lead ship. A rope ladder had been dropped for Ryker to climb. Fear ripped through Hiccup's very soul. He didn't want to be here, but he had to be here. The final face-off had arrived. It was time to deal with his demons.

The Pride of Berk swallowed the scream of terror threatening to escape. He was a man. He was a Viking. Vikings were strong and brave. They feared nothing. Johann was just a man. He might be strong, but Hiccup was stronger. He had survived and he would do it again.

Ryker draped Hiccup over his shoulder. "Showtime." He began to climb the ladder with his free hand.

Once on board, he discarded Hiccup. "I, Ryker Grimborn have brought Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third to Johann, Leader of the Dragon Hunters. Where is my prize?"

Johann stared at the man. He was supposed to be dead. He died during the Shellfire Battle.

"How are you alive?" Johann demanded.

"I washed up on an uninhabited island after days of floating adrift. I made a boat and made my way home, only to find nothing left," Ryker lied. "I went to the Northern Markets and heard of the bounty. 100,000 gold pieces are enough to begin a new life. Plus knowing that Hiccup Haddock will finally get what he deserves. Oh-ho, that's just icing on the cake."

Johann stared at Ryker before him for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Pay the man."

A Hunter gave Ryker his prize and he left. Once he was headed toward the horizon Johann looked at some of his men. "Follow him. I want to know what he's planning."

Johann walked over to Hiccup. He studied the man tied up in front of him. He could see the fear in the young man's eyes. "At last, Hiccup Haddock, you are mine. You and I are going to have so much fun together. No one will be coming to save you. You are going to die and be dumped into the ocean. Your traditions will not be met, thus leaving your soul trapped, wandering the earth looking for peace when none can be found."

Hiccup struggled against his ropes. Denying his right to go to Valhalla made him angry. After everything he had done, he was not going to become a wandering ghost. It was against Viking law to deny a hero his final passage.

Johann knelt down next Hiccup and sneered. "That's right, get angry. You'll last longer and break easier."

The evil man stood up and stomped on Hiccup's face, knocking him out. He looked two of his Hunters. "Lock him in one of the cages. Remove the ropes and his fake leg. Chain his good leg up. Come on! Get to it before he wakes up!"

* * *

Hiccup woke up to two men laughing. He looked around and realized he was in a cage. The second the thing he realized was his leg or lack thereof. The still air of the cage was rubbing up against the scarring. It caused the rest of leg to feel tingly.

He sat up and noticed that his other leg had been chained. He had no way to escape. Johann knew how well he could move on one leg. Hiccup had shown him several times before he turned out to be evil.

The Rider looked through the bars and could see where the laughter was coming from. Two guards. Time to get this show on the road and play his part.

He stood up and used the wall to help him stay balanced until his one leg got used to holding his weight. "Excuse me, I think there's been a mistake. I'm not a dragon. So if you could just let me go and give me my leg back, I'll be out of your hair in no time."

The guards turned and faced Hiccup.

"Go get, Johann. The prisoner is awake," One of the guards said. The other guard walked away while the one who had spoken unlocked the cage door.

He walked in and pushed Hiccup down. "How long do you think that attitude of yours will last?"

Hiccup looked up at the man. He wasn't afraid of him. He could take this man down no problem.

The other guard returned. "Johann wants him brought to his chambers."

The guard unlocked Hiccup's shackle and brought him to his foot. "Hop."

As the guards led Hiccup to Johann's chambers on the other side of the deck. Hunters stared and laughed at him. He was finally their prisoner. This was a victory.

Finally, they reached the chambers. The guards pushed him in and shut the door.

Hiccup propped himself up on to his knees but kept his head down.

"This is quite an interesting leg you have. Three different settings and a slot to hide a small weapon. Carved out enough for your stump to rest comfortably. Your brain is truly a gift from the gods," Johann relished. "Too bad you won't need it anymore. Your days of walking and flying are done."

Johann tossed the leg aside as he stood up from his seat. He walked around his desk and over to Hiccup. He grabbed a fistful of Hiccup's hair and yanked his head up.

"You will look at me when I'm talking," the villain sneered as he stood Hiccup up. "Before we get started, let's set some rules." He dragged Hiccup to a chair and forced him down into it. "Rule number one: you will only speak if told to. Rule number two: you are now my property. I own you. If you try to escape, you will be burned. Rule number three: you are not allowed to die unless I say so. I know how to keep a dying man breathing. Lastly, rule number four: you have to earn the right to be seen by a healer. Now let's get down to business."

Johann tied Hiccup's hands together and made quick work of picking up where he left off. He broke his left collarbone again. Hiccup screamed.

He smiled at Hiccup's pain. He took out a blade and cut the young man's leather armor to shreds until only his tunic remained. Johann ripped the tunic off of him and stared at his bare chest. He readjusted the dagger in his hand and started making small cuts all over Hiccup's torso.

Hiccup bit his lip and endured the pain. He thought of happier times. He thought of the time when he and Toothless bonded. He thought of the kiss that made him and Astrid an item. He remembered the moment when they announced their betrothal.

When Johann realized he wasn't getting a response out his prisoner, he growled in frustration as he dropped the knife. He balled his hands up into fists and began to punch Hiccup wherever he could reach. "Don't you ignore me, boy. You will react to everything I do to you."

Hiccup finally reacted when Johann landed a punch to his stomach. He did his best to keel over to protect the sensitive area but failed. His arms didn't allow for much movement.

"That's better," Johann stated as he picked the dagger back up. He kneeled down his eyes leveling at Hiccup's waist. He ripped off his left pant leg, revealing the whole stump. It was heavily scarred from having to force the remaining skin together. It was an ugly sight to look at.

Johann smiled at the memory of when he first found out this snobbish runt of man had lost his leg. He remembered how pitiful he looked. The pain plastered across his face as he tried to remain standing. He remembered pretending to feel sorry for the boy and offering herbs to ease his pain.

He traced his dagger over the stump's scars. What was left of Hiccup's leg twitched at the coolness of the blade. It was an odd sensation. Few people had actually looked at his stump.

Johann was now one of the few. He looked up at Hiccup's face and into his eyes. Scar tissue was so sensitive. Having it touched was one thing, but what Johann planned was entirely another. A grin formed on the villain's face as he cut into the scar tissue. Hiccup screamed in pain.

Hiccup's eyes rolled into the back of his head. Johann slapped him across the face. "Don't pass out yet Hiccup. We're not done with today's session."

Hiccup opened his eyes and stared at the man before him. He swallowed thickly and hid his fear and pain behind a glare that could scare Toothless. He wasn't broken yet.

"You will not break me, Johann," Hiccup spat.

Johann chuckled as he sliced into another scar, causing Hiccup to cry out once more in pain. "But I already have, my dear boy. 'I was so damn scared of you that I was afraid to open my mouth. I was terrified that if the horrors came out, they would never stop. That you would come back to shut me up. You broke my body and my mind.'," Johann quoted. "And you just broke rule number one."

Hiccup said nothing. He wasn't going to confirm or deny ever uttering those words. The young man simply looked down at his stump as it dripped blood on to the floor.

"Just out of curiosity, how long can you go without a seizure?" Johann pondered as he traced another scar.

"How did you-?" Hiccup never finished his question.

"I saw you shaking the day of the battle and the day you came back. Magnus confirmed what I thought," Johann answered nonchalantly. "He said that if someone goes more than 48 hours without a tonic, a seizure could occur. If the tonic isn't given within an hour of said seizure, the person can suffer horrible brain damage or die. We're going to see how long you can last. Does that sound like fun?"

Before Hiccup could answer, Johann, cut into yet another scar. Hiccup screamed for a moment before passing out.

Johann stood up and walked to the door. He opened it and allowed the guards to drag Hiccup back to his cage.

"Get Jorn to treat his injuries. I need him alive," Johann called out.

* * *

Hiccup woke up someone touching his stump. He flinched away, in fear that it was Johann getting ready to slice another scar.

"Calm down, kid," a gentle voice soothed. "You're alright. You're back in the cage."

Hiccup opened his eyes and saw a man about his father's age. He wasn't big and bulky like the rest of the Hunters. He could have passed for an older Dagur.

"Who are you?" Hiccup asked.

"Jorn," Jorn replied.

Hiccup looked up and saw that the guards were gone. "Where are the guards?"

"Up on deck," Jorn answered. "Celebrating your capture."

"Ryker said you were his inside man," Hiccup remembered.

Jorn nodded. "I am. Can you sit up?"

"You got to help me then," Hiccup stated as he used his right arm to sit up. "I have to have a specially made tonic. It was in my leg, hidden in a secret compartment. I need it to live."

Jorn stopped cleaning Hiccup's stump and stared at the young man. "What makes you think I won't go tell Johann this?"

"You're a healer. A gentle one," Hiccup answered. "You don't like seeing any of your patients suffer. Trust me; you will see me suffering a lot at the hands of Johann. You won't be able to stomach what he has in store for me. If I don't receive this tonic in the next 12 hours, I could die a horribly painful death. You won't be able to live with yourself."

Hiccup couldn't believe he was putting his life in the hands of a complete stranger. "Look, if you help me survive long enough for my friends to find me, I promise that you will not be punished and greatly compensated."

Jorn looked at the man before him. He was desperate enough to trust a complete stranger. He was right, he was a gentle healer. He couldn't stand to see people in pain. He never planned on working for the Hunters, but he was paid greatly for his services. They paid more than most villages.

"I'll get you your tonic," Jorn sighed. "After I finish treating you."

Hiccup nodded and continued to let the man tend to his injuries.

* * *

Author's Note: So what do you guys think of Jorn? Think he'll help Hiccup or betray him?

Jorn is the man mentioned in Guardians of Vanahiem. The Dragon Flyer said he was a healer with a gentle touch. This is my take on what he meant by that.

As always thank you for the reviews and follows. They fuel me to write as much I can.

Special thanks to Draconbiend2.0 for being an amazing friend and beta reader. She was only supposed to do few chapters for Beating in Stride and has helped me develop the Seizure Procedure series. Without her, this wouldn't be possible


	7. Chapter 7

Ryker landed on Dragon's Edge's shore and jumped off Minnow. After taking care of the Hunters following him, they flew straight to the outpost.

He didn't have far to go before the Riders surrounded him. He had a lot of explaining to do and he got right down to it.

"... So, to sum it all up, we need a plan of attack and soon. Your leader is strong, but not strong enough," Ryker finished.

"Why should we believe you?" Astrid demanded.

Ryker showed them the sack of gold Minnow was carrying. "I can think of about 100,000 reasons. If I was going to betray Hiccup Haddock, I would have let the Hunters follow me the rest of the way. Instead, they are adrift at sea fifty miles out. I'm a changed man. Now either you can give me the benefit of the doubt and go save Hiccup. Or you can lock me up and try to find him on your own. By the time you found him, it would be too late."

"Why would Hiccup even willingly put himself in harm's way?" Dagur asked.

"It is the only way to take Johann out. Let him think he has won so that his guard drops," Ryker explained. "It's now or never."

Astrid stared pointedly at Ryker. Hiccup's letter said to trust Ryker until the man proved he couldn't be. They spent a day and a half waiting and getting ready. "Fishlegs, head for Berk and get Gothi. Bring her here. Warn Stoick and the A team. Snotlout, Ruff, Tuff, and Dagur, you're with me. Let's go get Hiccup. Ryker, lead the way."

* * *

Jorn stood in Johann's vacant chambers, holding Hiccup's leg. He had found the vial hidden beneath the cup of the leg where the stump would rest. It wasn't a lot. Enough for maybe two doses. It should be enough to treat him until they got back to Stinger Island. The young lad could tell him how to make it if they got the chance.

Jorn always demanded privacy when treating a patient. It was less stressful for the injured party and helped with recovery. When he first saw what Johann had done to the kid in a matter of minutes, he was angry. What has Hiccup done to deserve such a punishment?

He couldn't linger in the chambers much longer. He placed the leg back where he found it and quickly left. Jorn went down to the kitchen and had the cook prepare a small meal for their prisoner.

* * *

The healer carried the sandwich and glass of mead down to go where Hiccup was being held. He poured some of the tonic into the mead so that Hiccup could take it undetected.

The guards were back in place, taunting Hiccup. "Look at how scrawny he is." "Not much of a man." "He looks like an Argr."

"Excuse me, gentlemen. I need to have a look at the patient before you drag him back to Johann," Jorn interrupted.

"Why do you have food?" One of the guards demanded.

"To keep him from dying of starvation. It's just enough to keep him alive," Jorn replied. "Now unlock the cage and go the end of the hall."

The guards did as Jorn requested. Jorn entered the cage and set down the plate and cup. "Eat up, kid. You're going to need your strength."

Jorn knelt down and looked at Hiccup's bandaged stump. The wrappings were already crimson red. "Let's change your bandaging, kid before you're taken back to Johann. Also, I'll numb up the area in case he decides to attack there again. You won't feel it happening."

Hiccup took a bite of his sandwich and swallowed it down with a sip of mead. "Why not numb my whole body then?"

"Don't have enough supplies," Jorn said. "I'm to give you limited treatment. I'm only numbing the area to reduce infection and because of how sensitive scar tissue is. Johann wouldn't be too happy if you passed out again."

Hiccup finished his sandwich and mead. He could taste his medicine in it. Jorn had succeeded in getting him his medicine. "The only way he wants me to pass out is if I had a seizure. I sure hope you know how to treat one."

Jorn knew what Hiccup was doing. He was planning to fake a seizure at some point during his next "interrogation". That would force Johann to stop what he was doing and toss him back into his cage to see if he winds up with brain damage or not.

It was a dumb idea, but it was the only one the kid had. It was his best chance of survival. Jorn was going to have to pretend to be treating him afterward.

"Times up. Johann wants the prisoner," one of the guards said.

Jorn quickly wrapped fresh bandaging around Hiccup's stump and got up to leave.

Hiccup fought back the tears threatening to spill as Johann sliced into his back. They had been at it for three hours now. His ribs, foot, and leg were now broken along with his collarbone. He was bleeding from multiple cuts. Johann was laughing with pleasure as he played with his new toy.

"You know Hiccup, I think you're beginning to enjoy this," Johann stated as he came back around to face Hiccup.

"Go to Hel," Hiccup retorted.

Johann chuckled and leaned in real close to Hiccup's face. "I plan on it. It's called Berk. As soon as I'm done with you, that's where I'm headed. Your soul will have no place to call home."

The vile man plunged the dagger into Hiccup's right leg, just above the knee. Hiccup screamed as pain coursed through his entire body. Johann began to twist the blade in the wound, enjoying the look of sheer pain plastered across his victim's face.

 _Oh, gods, it burns,_ Hiccup thought as he tilted his head back and looked up. Now was an as good time as any.

Hiccup stiffened his body and rolled his eyes into the back of the head, then began to violently shake his entire body. Johann smiled as he watched. He had driven the menace to the point of having a seizure. As quickly as it had begun, it was over. Hiccup's body went limp.

Johann felt for a pulse then called for the guards to take him away.

Hiccup felt himself being dragged back to his cage. He was in so much pain and agony, he didn't know how much more he could take. According to the guards, Johann was supposed to be getting answers out of him, but he wasn't asking questions. Their leader was having too much fun to ask.

Hiccup would have to remind Johann to ask some of the questions and act like he was ready to talk. Mix fake information with a little bit of real.

The Rider allowed the realm of unconsciousness to claim him. He was going to need all the rest and recovery time he could get.

* * *

Hiccup woke up to his body screaming in pain. Everything hurt. It felt like he had been set on fire.

"Ugrngh," Hiccup groaned.

"Stay still, kid," Jorn said as he placed a gentle hand on Hiccup's chest to keep him from moving. "I'm not done stitching your leg up."

"How long have I been out?" Hiccup asked.

"About twelve hours. Johann was furious when I told him you were still unconscious. He wants you in his chambers by sun-up," Jorn explained as he finished the final stitching.

"How long until then?" Hiccup asked. How much time did he have left to recover?

"I told him that you weren't going anywhere until you had a chance to recover from the blood loss," Jorn said as he began to wrap a bandage over Hiccup's leg.

"Blood loss?" Hiccup questioned. His wounds couldn't be that bad.

Jorn shook his head. "Don't worry. There really wasn't much. I just told him that, to give you some more time. You have about six hours to rest before you go back to him. He's hoping to see if he can cause another seizure. He really enjoyed the last one."

"He's a freaking psychopath," Hiccup stated. "How could someone be so evil?"

Jorn pulled a vial out of his bag and placed it in Hiccup's right hand. "Drink this. It will relieve the pain and help you to sleep more naturally."

As Hiccup drank the tonic, Jorn moved down to Hiccup's leg and foot. Johann had taken a strap to the poor kid's limb and beat it mercilessly until the bones broke. He looked at Hiccup's face, to find the tonic had already taken effect.

He had lied to Hiccup when he said he had six hours to recover. Johann wanted him within the next hour. Jorn knew what he had planned for Hiccup and decided the kid was better off asleep for.

Every third torture session, Johann liked to peel off his victim's skin. He didn't peel off much. Usually just a small section, but it was a painful and long process. It would take at least two hours. Johann liked to take his time with, treating the process like it was a work of art.

Johann didn't mind that his victims were asleep for the process. It was the after effect he enjoyed. Hearing them cry afterward was what he enjoyed. The pain was so intense that it had made the strongest of men break down in tears. It was what broke them and made them talk.

Hiccup was a strong kid, but he was still a kid. As far as Jorn could tell, the young man before him was Johann's youngest victim yet.

Jorn sighed as he reset the kid's broken foot and leg and tightly wrapped the limb up. No way was this kid walking, erm, hopping, anywhere. He would have been in too much pain and agony. He would have to be carried.

* * *

Author's Note: Argr means a man who acts unmanly or cowardly. A man who acts like a woman.

I learned the word from Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor.

I hope you guys are enjoying the story. I have a couple more chapters to go, then I'm going to start working on the third part of my story. Remember to review and follow

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing beta reader and friend.


	8. Chapter 8

The Riders and Ryker fought against the storm. None of them could see or hear each other. Twenty-foot waves swelled beneath them. Minnow was in the air with the rest of the dragons. He couldn't risk losing his rider.

They had been in the storm for five hours and had nowhere to land. The further they flew, the worse the storm got. It showed no signs of letting up or leaving them alone. The Storm King had them trapped.

* * *

Hiccup woke up back in his cell. His forearm was burning. The air stung. He opened his eyes and looked at his arm. What he saw was gut-wrenching. His skin was gone. He looked around saw Jorn standing by waiting to see his reaction.

Hiccup screwed his eyes shut, stopping the tears that threatened to spill. "What happened?!"

Jorn moved over toward Hiccup. "Session number three. Known to break the strongest of men. They would give Johann whatever he wanted. He's hoping it does the same to you."

"How come you haven't treated it yet?" Hiccup demanded.

"You needed to see it first. I need to know you won't break yet," Jorn replied as he emptied his medicine bag.

"I've lost a leg," Hiccup answered. "This is nothing."

Jorn nodded as he began to numb the area around the missing skin, and cleaned up the blood. There was no way to close the wound, other than to bandage it up and change it every few hours. Numbing it helped slow the bleeding. It was going to be weeks before it would start to heal.

The kid was stronger than Jorn gave him credit for. He knew he was lying about how losing his leg freaked him out more. He was scared beyond comprehension, but he wasn't going to break. Johann was going to have to do a lot more than peel and cut his skin.

"Rest up kid," Jorn said as he finished wrapping the wound. "We arrive at Stinger Island in a few hours.

Hiccup didn't put up a fight. He was drained. Staying awake was too much work.

Jorn stared at the sleeping figure laid out before him. He had grown quite attached to the kid. He knew what Johann was planning on doing once they got on land. Hiccup was going to be tied to a chair; water would be poured on his face as a cloth held tightly over it, to simulate drowning. If he survived that, Johann would place burning hot coals all over his body and carve into the surrounding skin.

Hiccup would be mutilated and not allowed to die until he broke. Jorn would no longer be able to care for him. His friends should have arrived by now. He had to get Hiccup out of here. Killing Johann would have to wait.

He looked around and saw that the guards were still not back yet. He knelt down next to Hiccup and pulled out a tonic. "Kid, I hope you can forgive me for this, but it's now or never."

He poured the tonic down Hiccup's throat and watched as his breathing came to a stop. He felt the young man's pulse. It was still there, but it was slowed down enough for people to think he was dead.

He got up and shouted for the guards. "The prisoner is dead."

The guards ran toward the cage. "What happened?" One demanded.

"I don't know," Jorn lied. "I was treating his wounds when his body started to violently shake. I waited for him to stop before checking for a heartbeat. There is none. I can't bring him back. It's too late. Go inform Johann."

Both guards went running toward Johann's chambers. Jorn quickly picked up Hiccup like he was nothing and carried him in the opposite direction. Their only hope of a quick escape was to get to the dinghies that were pulled by a couple of Seashockers.

He stopped in his office long enough to fill his bag with supplies. He entered the bottom deck. The floor was flooded just enough to keep the Seashockers alive. He opened the hatch, climbed into a boat, and off they went.

Once they were good 20 miles away, Jorn gave Hiccup another tonic to revive him. The effect was instant. Hiccup's eyes flew open as he sat up. He leaned over the boat and emptied what little he had in his stomach.

Once he was done puking into the ocean, he looked around as if just noticing where he was. "What in the name of Thor?"

Jorn stared at him, watching it all sink in, but said nothing.

Hiccup went from confused, to scared, to angry all in a matter of seconds. He looked over at Jorn. "What the hell Jorn? Why are we in the middle of the ocean?"

Jorn continued to stare at the kid. He wasn't going to feel guilty for saving him. "If Johann learned that you weren't going to break, his torture would get much worse. He would have you begging for death within hours of landing on Stinger Island. I would not be able to treat you anymore, no one would, so after you passed out, I slipped you a tonic that slowed your heart rate to one beat per minute and stopped your breathing. I told the guards you were dead and to get Johann. I quickly scooped you up and we escaped on one of the dinghies pulled by a couple of Seashockers."

Hiccup's eyes widen. "We have to let them go."

Jorn nodded. "As soon as we reach the nearest island. We have to find land before Johann can send men after us. If we release them now, we are as good as dead."

Hiccup studied the water and sea stacks surrounding them. He knew right where they were. They were close enough for one certain dragon to hear them. He let out a strange roar that sounded like a Deathsong.

Seconds later a reply came from the distance. Hiccup turned and looked at Jorn, he seemed happy with himself.

"That is the first time I've actually called for Garff," Hiccup stated. "We need to head west toward the roar."

"You are aware that a Deathsong is capable of eating us whole, right?" Jorn asked.

"Not Garff. We trained him as a baby," Hiccup explained. "He's quite tame for a Deathsong. His adoptive father on the other hand. We rescued him awhile back, but I don't know if that will stop him."

Jorn turned the Seashockers toward the west and off they went. Hiccup was smiling like crazy. Either he was really happy to see Garff or his mind was trying to stay together under the weight of what he's been through.

* * *

They reached the island as the sun began to set. There to greet them was a Deathsong. Jorn quickly figured it was Garff. He jumped out of the boat and pulled it to shore after releasing the Seashockers, who seemed grateful for their freedom.

He helped Hiccup out of the boat and sat him down on a nearby boulder. The kid's skin was warm to the touch. He had a fever.

Garff trotted over to Hiccup and butted his head gently against him. Hiccup gave him a scratch under the chin. "Hey, big guy. I know it's been awhile. Astrid and Stormfly are going to be so happy when they see you."

Jorn went back to the boat and emptied out all of its supplies before lighting it on fire and pushing it back into the ocean. He listened as Hiccup talked to the dragon. The dragon seemed concerned for him, but the kid kept reassuring him he was alright.

"We need to find shelter and rest for the night," Jorn stated.

Hiccup shook his head. "We have to leave as soon as possible. Garff here will be more than happy to give us a lift. Isn't that right, big guy?"

Garff screeched out a tune as he bobbed his head up and down.

Jorn looked uncertain. He had never flown before, but Hiccup was right. They couldn't stay the night. Hunters were looking for them.

"Okay," Jorn said finally. "But first let me change all your bandages."

Hiccup only nodded as he continued to give the Deathsong chin scratches. He seemed out of it. His mind was somewhere else, but it was also here. It was trying to deal with all that it had endured.

It didn't take long for Jorn to clean and bandage Hiccup's wounds. He riffled through the supplies from the ship and found a tunic. It was bigger than Hiccup, but it was something to wear. Jorn helped Hiccup put it on.

Once Jorn finished properly treating the kid, Hiccup motioned for Garff to lower his neck so they could climb on. Jorn gathered the supplies and stuffed it into his bag. What he couldn't fit would be tossed into the ocean.

The healer helped Hiccup mount the dragon and climbed on behind him. He sat Hiccup up with on hand as he pulled a tonic out of his bag with the other.

"Where are we heading?" Jorn asked.

"Dragon's Edge," Hiccup said. "Garff knows the way. Hopefully, we'll run into the rest of the Riders on the way."

Hiccup used his good hand to pat Garff on the side, signaling for them to take off. Garff obliged and took to the air. Jorn's vision went black for a split second before everything came into focus. They were flying over the ocean. The island was miles behind them.

Jorn looked at his patient. Hiccup's eyes were shut and his head hung forward. The kid was unconsciousness probably for a long while. This was his real first chance to recover. He slipped the tonic back into his bag and held on to one of the dragon's horns for balance.

* * *

Finally out of the storm, the rescue team searched the waters for the ship, hoping to catch it before it docked on an island.

Dagur was looking through a spyglass when he spotted something coming toward them from the horizon.

"Incoming from the west," Dagur shouted so everyone could hear him. They all looked at where he was pointing.

Snotlout squinted his eyes. "Looks like a dragon. There's something familiar about that dragon."

Astrid figured it out before anyone else. "It's Garff. And it looks like someone is riding him."

"What kind of person rides a Deathsong?" Ruffnut asked.

"Hiccup," Astrid and Dagur said in unison.

Dagur put the spyglass up to his eye again and watched as they got closer. Someone was with him. It looked like they were holding him up. Hiccup was hurt.

"Oh no," Dagur said. "We need to meet them halfway."

Before anyone could stop him, he flew in front of the group to meet up with the flying trio.

"What's he doing?" Ryker demanded.

"Something's wrong," Astrid answered as she and Toothless took off.

The rest of the Riders followed suit chasing after Dagur.

Dagur closed the distance in no time. "Who are you and what have you done with Hiccup?"

Jorn raised his free hand in defense. "I'm Jorn, a healer. I've been treating Hiccup for his injuries. We escaped Johann's boat just a few hours ago."

"You betrayed the Hunters?" Dagur asked, not believing a word that came out of Jorn's mouth.

"Yes," Jorn exclaimed. "I would love to go into detail, but we need to get this kid back to Dragon's Edge so I can properly treat him. I don't have everything I need."

Astrid finally caught up. "We have a healer heading there now. Follow us."

* * *

Author's Note: As always thank you for the continued support. I have two more chapters to go. After I post chapter ten I am taking time off. I need to look for a new job.

My boss fired me in front of all my regular costumers to make an example out of me. All I did was fall at work. But since I "disrupted" a busy dinner rush with all my "commotion". I got up and finished my shift with a dislocated shoulder before going to the hospital. I didn't complain about pain or anything. The owner demanded my immediate termination because I followed proper procedure and filed an incident report.

Sucks to be them but they still have to pay for my medical care. The doctor at my follow up yesterday said that he thinks it more than a dislocated shoulder. He thinks I might have nerve and muscle damage. I have several tests coming up to determine how bad.


	9. Chapter 9

After a day and half of the flight, the group of dragon riders made it back to the Edge without further delay. Stoick, Gothi, and Fishlegs greeted the dragons and their riders on the landing pad for the stables.

Stoick ran to help get his son off of the Deathsong. Jorn followed. "He's been unconscious for almost two days. His wounds need to be cleaned and bandaged."

Gothi, Stoick, and Jorn headed to Hiccup's hut. As they walked, Jorn filled them in on his injuries. "His right leg, foot, ribs, and left collarbone are broken. Cuts all over including his stump. A stab wound to the right thigh. Bruising. The list goes on."

Stoick gently placed his son on to his bed and stepped back to let the two healers treat him. He didn't know who the other one was, but it was clear he had been taking care of Hiccup for the past week.

"We need to give him his medicine. I used the last of what he had about forty hours ago," Jorn mentioned as he removed the bandage around the kid's stump.

Gothi nodded and took a vial out of her bag. Jorn tilted Hiccup's head up so she could pour it down his throat.

Once, Stoick was positive Hiccup was going to be okay, he walked out of the hut and met the worried faces of his friends and Ryker.

Fishlegs had filled him in on the whole Ryker ordeal. He resisted the urge to throw the man into the sea. It was his fault Hiccup was so badly injured.

"How is he?" Astrid asked.

"He'll live. Gothi and that man are working on him right now, "Stoick explained.

* * *

Everyone was gathered in the clubhouse, waiting for news on Hiccup. Just how bad was he? What did Johann do to him? Will he be able to recover from round two?

A couple hours later, Jorn and Gothi walked into the Clubhouse. Everyone looked at them with hopeful eyes.

"He's going to be fine," Jorn announced. A collective sigh of relief filled the room. "But he has a long road ahead of him. Johann caused him so much agony that his brain has barely begun to process it. Trying to decide what memories to keep and what memories to suppress is difficult. As for his injuries, he's not getting out of bed any time soon. Broken ribs, collarbone, leg and foot, a stab wound, gashes on his stump. I plan on keeping him asleep for the next couple of weeks. Give his body time to heal."

"You plan on staying?" Snotlout asked.

Jorn nodded. "I know the kid's injuries better than anyone in this room. Gothi and I have discussed this at length. She's needed on Berk. And taking him to Berk is not an option. Having him the air on the back of a dragon is dangerous."

Gothi stood next to the man, nodding in agreement with everything he said.

"I get that you don't trust me, I don't blame you," Jorn said. "I betrayed the Hunters to save Hiccup. If he had been dragged on to Stinger Island, he would have much had worse done to him. I couldn't have that."

Astrid stepped forward and gave Jorn a tired smile. "Welcome to Dragon's Edge, Jorn."

* * *

Hiccup woke up briefly in his bed on Dragon's Edge. Before he had a chance to remember, a vial touched his lips and cool liquid ran down his throat.

The only words he heard. "Just go back to sleep, kid. You need to rest for a while."

Hiccup found himself falling into a deep slumber and didn't fight the pull.

Jorn set the vial down on the nightstand and sat back down in his chair. They had been at Dragon's Edge for three days and Hiccup showed no signs of healing. His wounds bled through the stitching, turning the bandages crimson red. The bruises remained the same dark ugly purple they were when first inflicted.

He heard footsteps coming up the stairs; he turned his head and saw that it was Astrid, Hiccup's betrothed.

"How is he?" Astrid asked.

"He just woke up again and I put him back to sleep again," Jorn answered. "Other than that, no change."

Astrid sat next to Hiccup's head and started running her fingers through his hair. "Don't worry. Hiccup is tough. He'll find a way to get through this."

In the corner, Toothless purred in agreement.

Jorn shook his head. "I've seen men the size of his father break under the pain Johann caused. The fact that he is still breathing is a miracle. He refused to break. He was in constant mind-blowing pain and he still refused. Tough isn't the word I would use."

"What word you use?" Astrid wondered.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say Hiccup was a god," Jorn admitted.

Astrid studied the man. He was in awe with Hiccup's willpower, but he was also tired. He'd been awake for Thor knows how long.

"You look exhausted. You're no good to Hiccup if you run yourself into the ground. I speak from experience. Why don't you go wash up in the stream and get some sleep? I'll watch Hiccup for a bit." Astrid suggested.

"Do you know what needs to be done? How to change bandages and clean wounds?" Jorn asked.

"Been doing it a while," Astrid answered. Jorn gave her a pointed look. "How about this: if anything goes wrong, I'll come and get you. Deal?"

Jorn sighed. She was right he was exhausted; how well could he treat the kid if he was dead on his own feet? "If anything happens, I want to know right away."

Astrid held up her hand in promise. "I'll get you if anything happens."

Jorn stood up and stretched his tight muscles. "If he wakes up again, try to get him to have some boar broth, before giving him the tonic. His stomach can't handle solid foods quite yet."

Astrid nodded. "No problem."

Jorn walked down the stairs and left. Astrid removed the covers hiding Hiccup's bandaged wounds. She had never gotten a good look at Hiccup since they found him and Jorn flying toward them.

He wasn't wearing any clothing aside from a pair of skivvies that rested just above the wound to his right leg. His chest and stomach were entirely wrapped in bandaging. His left shoulder and right forearm were wrapped as well.

Her eyes moved down to his stump. From what she understood, not only had Johann taken his fake leg, but he cut into the scarring, the most sensitive part of it.

She remembered watching Gothi doing her best to stitch the remaining part of his lower left leg together. She had lost count after about a hundred stitches. Gobber later told her that Hiccup had 213 stitches holding his leg together. So much for someone so small. But all the damage caused by the inferno and Toothless grabbing him, it was amazing he didn't lose more of his leg.

Astrid felt tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. It was hurting her to look at him like this. Johann did much worse this time around.

The warrior quickly wiped the tears away and forced herself to continue looking at Hiccup's injured body. His right leg and foot were in a splint and was wrapped up tightly in more bandages keep him from moving the broken bones.

Higher up, his thigh was wrapped tight. Johann had stabbed him just above the knee. Both of Hiccup's legs were damaged. It would be weeks, maybe even months before he would be able to walk on his own again. He would be laid up in bed, unable to do anything but recover and be waited on hand and foot.

Astrid pulled the blankets over Hiccup, covering up his battered body. She sat back down and watched his chest rise and fall.

* * *

Hiccup once again entered the world of consciousness. He opened his eyes and looked around. Yeah, he was definitely in his hut. He hadn't dreamed that.

He groaned as the pain hit him like a Catastrophic Quaken. He let out a groan.

He heard something or someone to his left move. He turned his head. All he could see was a familiar skirt. Astrid's skirt.

"Astrid?" Hiccup croaked.

Astrid knelt down until she was eye level with her betrothed. "Hiccup, how do you feel?"

"Like I just went through round two with the Red Death," Hiccup answered. It hurt to move his lips.

Astrid stood back up. "Let's try to sit you up some, so you can drink some broth."

Hiccup helped Astrid as much as he could to sit himself up, but it hurt to even try. They settled for just propping his head up enough so Astrid could spoon feed him.

"How did I get here?" Hiccup asked after a few spoons of boar broth.

"You don't remember?" Astrid asked in return, worry plastering her face.

"Last I remember was waking up in a cage realizing that Johann had peeled off a part of my forearm," Hiccup the wincing at the memory.

Astrid continued to feed him the broth while she explained the lengths Jorn went to rescue him. By the time she was done, the bowl was empty.

"Hiccup, he saved you," Astrid finished. "He risked his own life to protect yours."

"I owe him mine then," Hiccup figured.

Astrid shook her head. "All you owe him is getting better. He said so himself."

Astrid grabbed the tonic off of the nightstand and pressed it against Hiccup's lips. "Here. Drink some. It will help with the pain and let you sleep."

Hiccup obliged. Within a couple of minutes, the injured man was sound asleep once more.

* * *

Johann watched his men returned to the ship empty handed. This was the fifth island they'd checked in just a few days. He wanted them found. He wanted to hang Jorn up like a piece of meat and force him to watch as he made Hiccup suffer endlessly.

The villain took out a dagger and stabbed the railing in frustration. How dare they escape right under his nose!? He'd already taken care of those incompetent guards. Now he just had to find Jorn and Hiccup.

They couldn't have gotten far. Hiccup was in no condition to run and hide. Jorn also didn't have enough supplies to treat the menace for more than a few days. They would eventually be found.

* * *

Ryker sat in the corner of the Clubhouse, watching the other Riders discuss what training they should do today. He didn't understand how they could train when their leader was lying in a bed unconscious.

"Ryker," a voice called pulling him from his thoughts. It was the guy with the Gronkle, Fishlegs.

"What?" Ryker asked.

"I asked if you and Minnow wanted to join us. We're going to go over attacks from the water," Fishlegs said."They might be helpful later on."

Ryker scratched the back of his head. The Riders wanted him to join in on their training? "Sure. Minnow might have fun being around other dragons."

* * *

Jorn woke up in the temporary hut the Rider's had given him, feeling refreshed. That had to have been the best sleep he'd had since before Johann was thawed out.

He stood and stretched, before reaching for his tunic. He had done away with the armor the Hunters had given him. He wasn't one of them anymore. Hiccup had opened up a whole new world of possibilities when he managed to get Garff to let them ride on him.

Jorn thought of the Deathsong that was curled up outside the kid's hut, waiting. The dragon had taken a liking to Jorn after watching him treat Hiccup. He wondered if Hiccup could help him learn how to ride him. Once the kid was recovered, of course.

He could fly from island to island, helping tend to the sick and injured. Maybe teach other healers to ride dragons. He could start a program. Healers Without Borders, or something like that.

Once he was dressed, he sauntered out of the hut and headed to the Clubhouse to grab a quick breakfast and relieve Astrid.

* * *

Astrid looked up from the book she had grabbed off Hiccup's desk when she heard Jorn walking up the steps.

"Did he ever wake up?" Jorn asked, looking at his patient.

"Good afternoon to you too," Astrid replied with a smirk. Clearly, Jorn had forgotten some manners while working with the Hunters.

Jorn blinked and looked at Astrid. "Oh, yeah. Good afternoon. Sorry."

Astrid let out a small laugh. "Don't worry about it. And yes, he woke up. I gave him the broth and told him what you did to get him away from Johann since he couldn't remember. He's been asleep for a few hours. What's in that tonic, by the way?"

"Valerian, Lemon balm, and this plant I found on Breakneck Bog. Well, it's more like a weed, really," Jorn answered. "I find that it helps relieve pain, relaxes the body and mind. It can also cause great hunger of not mixed properly."

"Sounds addictive," Astrid pointed out.

"It can be. I plan on weaning him off of it after he wakes up," Jorn assured. "Did he say what his last memory was?"

"Something about peeled skin. I didn't quite understand," Astrid answered.

"Johann used a blade to peel of a section of skin from his forearm. Hiccup slept through the process, but it was quite a shock when he woke up," Jorn explained. "The sight of missing something such as your own skin can be earth-shattering to a lot of people. Not Hiccup though. He acted like it didn't even bother him."

Astrid fell silent. Hiccup was a strong man, but to have something like that done to him. It was horrifying to think about.

"As you said, Hiccup is tough," Jorn consoled.

"I know. What Johann did to him though. It's worse than what he did six months ago," Astrid said. "Hiccup spent a month in a coma due to the blood loss. After he woke up, he was angry and full of rage. It took weeks for him to finally open up and tell us what happened in those caves. He was finally getting better. Then he went down into that stupid cave, at Gothi's request. Seeing Johann blink nearly sent him back. He's spent the past month trying to hide it, but he was scared. He was nowhere near ready to face Johann again. To go with Ryker and willingly be tortured all for a zero to slim chance at killing Johann, was, was, I don't know what it was."

Jorn watched as the young woman poured her heart to a man she hardly knew. She was so scared of what the future might hold. She didn't know if the Hiccup she knew and loved would come back to her or not.

The healer placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "He'll come back. I promise."

Astrid wiped away any evidence that she might have been crying. "I hope you're right."

Jorn decided it was time to change the subject. "Before you head out, can you help me change the bandages real quick?"

Astrid stood up. "Sure. No problem."

The two worked in silence as they discarded the old bandages, cleaned the wounds, and bandaged them. They worked as if they had been doing it for years. Jorn was impressed with how careful and gentle Astrid was with Hiccup's injured body. The girl would make a great healer. She was someone who could tend to the injured on the battlefield and continue to fight at the same time.

Astrid studied Jorn. He looked at Hiccup as if he was his own son. After less than a week together, Jorn had already risked his life to protect Hiccup while keeping him alive. He treated Hiccup with such respect; it was hard to believe that he worked for the Hunters.

All this made Astrid wonder if Jorn had a family of his own waiting for him, but she remembered something Heather told her. Healers weren't allowed to have a family to call their own if they worked for the Hunters. That way, nothing could be leveraged against them if they lost a patient or refused to treat someone.

Maybe the man did have a family at one point, lost them, and joined the Hunters knowing he had nothing more than his life to lose.

* * *

Author's Note: Yep Jorn discovered weed. You read that right. No, I do not smoke it. I had several customers and co-workers who have. Most of which are good friends. Most of them only do it for recreational purposes or to help deal with the stress of a high-end restaurant.

Speaking of which, I won't be unemployed for much longer. One of my co-workers/friend took to social media after the public firing about how wrong it was. She included my name and email address. I've already had several job offers. I just need to sort out which ones are real and which ones aren't.

Anyways thank you for the continued support. I love waking up in the morning after posting a chapter to find that you guys have reviewed.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing beta reader and friend


	10. Chapter 10

Hiccup drifted in and out of consciousness for the next three weeks. He was being put back to sleep the minute he woke up and started drifting away.

When he finally woke, he was greeted by a familiar face. The face of the man who saved him. Jorn.

"Mornin', kid," Jorn smirked when saw Hiccup looking at him. "How are ya feeling?"

Hiccup could feel the pain thrumming through his body, but it was nowhere near as bad as it been when he was on Johann's ship. Instead of being flattened by a Quaken, he felt like he just crashed out of the sky.

"Better, I think," Hiccup answered.

"That's good," Jorn said as he grabbed Hiccup's wrist and tapped his fingers on the bedpost. He did that for about a minute before letting go. "Heart rate is a little slow, but it will improve over the next couple of days. Let's see about those broken bones. Every time I touch somewhere, tell me how bad it hurts on a scale of one to ten."

Jorn started with Hiccup's shoulder.

He pressed the back of it. "Four.

The joint. "Seven."

The collarbone. "Ten! Ten! Ten!"

Jorn moved down to the ribs.

The left side. "Eight."

The right side. "Six"

Jorn walked to the end of the bed and pressed on Hiccup's foot "Argh. Ten!"  
The leg. "Ten again!"

"Ribs seem to be healing faster than everything else, "Jorn noted. "Let's check out the stump and thigh."

Hiccup watched Jorn the best he could. He'd seen Gothi do it several times throughout his life. It was a process that usually took a couple hours, but Jorn was moving rather quickly. He wasn't taking his time with each injury. He was assessing how much pain they were causing Hiccup; if it felt like it was mending the right way and looking for anything he might have missed before.

Jorn carefully wrapped clean bandages around Hiccup's stump, looking pleased that it was healing well. He moved on to Hiccup's right thigh.

After removing the bandaging, he touched the undamaged skin around it, gently pressing down. He looked at Hiccup's face for any kind of response, only to find a slight wince to the added pressure. Jorn rubbed some numbing cream around the wound and rewrapped it.

"Straighten your right arm and make a tight fist," Jorn instructed. Hiccup did as he was told. Jorn removed the bandages and studied the section of missing skin. It had stopped bleeding about a week ago and started to close.

He applied some numbing cream to the surrounding area and wrapped it up in clean bandages. That was it; his examination was done. The bruising and other cuts Johann had made were healed and needed no further treatment.

"I take it I'll live?" Hiccup joked.

"I'd give you another sixty years," Jorn answered. "But in all seriousness, you're going to be in this bed for most of your recovery. You can't walk with a broken foot and leg and a stab wound. Your stump isn't healed enough to handle a prosthetic. Definitely not flying either. Ribs are still too damaged for you to be up in the air. You're down to pretty much one remotely useful limb and that's your right arm.

Hiccup let the information sink in. He wasn't one to sit around waiting. He likes being where the action was. He likes being involved.

"How long do you think?" Hiccup asked.

"Hard to say. A couple of months at best," Jorn answered. "If you want, I can keep you asleep for that long."

Hiccup thought about it for a moment. It would make the time go faster, but he was pretty sure Astrid would kill him if he said yes. He was awake and on the mend. There was no real point in staying asleep for two months. He'd already spent a month in a coma this year. Another three when he lost his leg. His current injuries didn't warrant wasting two months of his life in the dream world.

"I think I'll be fine, Jorn," Hiccup said finally.

"Are you sure?" Jorn asked. "It's not something to be taken lightly. It could speed the healing process up as well as help your mind cope with the entire trauma."

"I'll be fine," Hiccup repeated. "Besides, Astrid might kill me if I did that."

Jorn raised his hands in mock defense. "Understood. However, I am going to give a sleeping tonic every night for the next few weeks to help you sleep through the pain."

"I can live with that," Hiccup agreed.

"I'm going to head down to the Clubhouse and get you something to eat. We'll see if your stomach can handle solid foods yet," Jorn said as he headed for the stairs.

* * *

One month later:

Hiccup's stump and ribs were declared as completely healed. Jorn had helped Hiccup put on one his old peg legs and was helping him try to stay upright with the help of a T shaped walking staff that rested under his right armpit.

"You can't go down the stairs, unless you want someone to carry you," Jorn informed. "And I don't mean Toothless."

Toothless stared at Jorn and stuck out his tongue. Jorn stuck his out of retaliation.

"However, you can get out of bed and move around a bit. Get your muscles used to the movement," Jorn explained. "In a couple weeks, we can try putting some weight on your right leg, see if it holds."

Hiccup nodded. "Thanks, Jorn. For everything."

"Don't mention it, kid," Jorn said, absent-mindedly waving his hand as if brushing off the thanks. "Seeing you getting better every day is thanks enough. As long as we stay on track, you'll be teaching me how to fly Garff in no time.

Over the course of the past month, Jorn and Garff had taken a liking to each other. Hiccup had taught him the basics of earning a dragon's trust and eternal friendship. The plan was once Hiccup was able to walk on his own two feet, they would head down to the arena and train on how to work together as one.

After another half hour helping Hiccup get used using a walking staff, Jorn left and headed to the Clubhouse to get them both some lunch. Halfway there he ran into Astrid.

"Hey Jorn," Astrid said. "How's Hiccup? I'm on my way to see him. Figured I'd get an update first."

"Hey Astrid," Jorn replied. "He's doing better than any of us could have hoped for. Ribs and stump are better. With the stump finally healed up, he's able to wear one of his fake legs, and with the help of a walking staff, he can move around a bit."

"That's great," Astrid beamed. She looked like she could hug the man. "You're amazing."

Before Jorn could say anything else Astrid ran off to see her future husband. He could cross that off the list. A distracted Astrid forgetting she was in the middle of a conversation. That just about made it official. He was part of their family.

Ever since they found him and Hiccup flying toward the Edge, everyone aside from maybe Snotlout seemed to trust him. After all, he did save their leader from a painful end. That alone was a statement in itself. Betraying the Hunters also helped.

Jorn understood why Snotlout didn't trust him. Johann. The man had been the ultimate betrayal. For one, one of his men to be found with Hiccup saying he turned his back on the Hunters was sketchy at best. As far as Snotlout was concerned, he was trying to get inside information; a spy.

Astrid, Dagur, and Fishlegs all told him not to worry about it. It was just Snotlout being Snotlout. He would come around eventually.

* * *

Hiccup sat at his desk when Astrid walked up the stairs. "Hey, Astrid."

"Hey Hiccup," Astrid replied leaning on the edge of the desk. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that I'm not stuck in bed," Hiccup answered.

Astrid bit her lip. Ever since he woke up after three weeks of pretty much forced rest, Astrid had been worried about his state of mind. He was laughing and joking. He acted like he and Toothless had a bad crash. He pretended to be oblivious to the fact that he was tortured. Aside from mentioning that Johann peeled some of his skin off, Hiccup hadn't talked about it.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Astrid asked, cautiously.

"I'm fine, Astrid," Hiccup said, knowing what she was asking. "It's not like last time. This time I don't feel angry or scared. I've felt relieved since waking up."

Astrid studied his face; he was telling the truth. His whole demeanor was that of a person at peace. Even though Johann was still out there, hunting for him, he was in fact at peace. He was happy. Maybe it had something to do with Jorn.

Jorn had treated him after each session. Befriended him. Saved him. He was there for Hiccup when no one else was. The Riders had been stuck in a storm for twelve hours trying to find him. Before that, they listened to his letter and waited for Ryker, knowing they shouldn't have.

Ryker never took into account that they might head to an island base in the opposite direction, rather than keep sailing to the Edge. He had been angry about screwing up like that. No one could tell him otherwise, except Hiccup.

Hiccup had faced his fear of the vile man, and despite being tortured, he was relieved. He now knew that when the time came, he could face the man and not be afraid. There would be no hesitation. Johann wouldn't get a chance to touch Hiccup again.

* * *

Johann's fleet sat just outside of patrol range from Dragon's Edge. They couldn't see him, but he could see them. He had scouts on the island giving him daily updates.

Hiccup was recovering from his torture, but it was a slow process. This gave Johann enough time to set things in motion. The boy would have no choice but to surrender himself after he was done.

Johann laughed wickedly as he thought of how emotionally unstable Hiccup was going to be. It was time to rule the world.

* * *

Author's Note: This marks the end of Living Will. The final installment will take place a few down the road, giving Hiccup time to recover. I couldn't for most of what I promised in this story, but I will try my best.

It's going to be a while since I'm unemployed and am actively looking. Also, I have an appointment for an MRI coming up to see just how bad my shoulder really is.

Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being all around amazing. She and I will return in a while

 **WARNING:** Death is coming. Stay tuned for Deadly Seas


End file.
